The Bell Outside the U.S. Department of Education — And Why I Chose to Break It

If you’ve ever walked past the U.S. Department of Education building in Washington, D.C.,  you’ve likely noticed the bell that sits prominently out front. 

It’s more than a decorative  piece. It holds a powerful, if not haunting, symbolism. The bell in front of the Department of Education is a reminder of how deeply schooling in America has been shaped by the Industrial Revolution. During that era, factory bells were used to dictate the rhythms of daily life—when workers should clock in, when to break, when to return, and when to stop. The  system was designed for efficiency, predictability, and control. 

When public schooling scaled across the United States, it borrowed that same structure.  The bell became not just a tool of order—but a call that could not be ignored and could not  be muted. A summons that ruled over your time, your attention, and your autonomy. 

For millions of educators today, that bell still rings.

It tells you when your day begins. 

When you can pause for a breath. 

When it’s time to go home. 

Even when you can use the bathroom. 

It decides for you. 

But What Happens When You’ve Had Enough of Being Told When to Show Up, When to  Sit Down, and When to Speak Up? 

I know what that feels like. 

Because I lived it. 

I’ll always say this first: Education saved my life. 

I’m the first in my family to graduate from college. I returned to the very same middle school  I attended in Little Havana to teach and lead as an educator. I’m a two-time Teacher of the  Year. My life has been shaped, lifted, and blessed by the work we do in schools. 

But as much as education gave me, there was still something it took. 

It kept a grip on my time. On my freedom. On my sense of ownership over my own life. 

It wasn’t until I stepped away, until I shattered the hold that bell had on me, that I realized  what I’d been missing. I didn’t just leave education—I took back my time. I stepped into  entrepreneurship and became the architect of my own day. 

I call it Breaking the Bell. 

Not because I stopped caring about students, teachers, or schools— But because I wanted to show up for them (and for myself) in a way that wasn’t confined by  the ring of someone else’s bell. 

The Quiet Truth: So Many Educators Feel This Pull 

Today, there are thousands of educators who love their craft. 

They love the kids, they love their colleagues, and they believe in the mission. 

But beneath the lesson plans and PLC meetings, there’s a growing pull. A sense that they’re meant for something more—not instead of education, but beyond the  current constraints of it. 

For some, it looks like launching a side hustle. 

For others, it’s consulting, coaching, or stepping into leadership outside the classroom. For many, it’s the simple desire to decide for themselves how their time is spent.

What if the bell didn’t tell you when to show up? 

What if you wrote your own schedule? 

What if your expertise, your voice, your passion—weren’t limited by the walls of one  building or one job title? 

Breaking the Bell Isn’t About Leaving. It’s About Leading on Your Own Terms. 

When I talk about Breaking the Bell, I’m not asking anyone to abandon their love of  education. 

I’m asking: What else could this life, this skill set, this story make possible? 

The bell outside the Department of Education may never come down. But you? You can decide whether it still gets to ring for you. 

It’s not about disrespecting the profession. 

It’s about respecting yourself enough to explore what else is possible. 

And when you do that—when you break the bell for yourself—you’ll discover that freedom  isn’t about leaving the work you love. 

It’s about finally owning the life you were meant to build. 

About the Author 

Dr. Manuel Ferrer (Dr. Manny) is an award-winning educator, entrepreneur, and author of  Breaking the Bell: An Educator’s Guide To Doing What You Love While Earning What You’re  Worth. A two-time Teacher of the Year and recipient of the Chappie James Most Promising  Teacher Award, Dr. Ferrer began his career at the very middle school he once attended in  

Miami’s Little Havana. 

After years of helping students and fellow educators succeed inside the system, he made  the bold decision to step beyond it—channeling his expertise into entrepreneurship,  consulting, and career transition coaching. Through his advisory services and signature  programs, Dr. Ferrer now helps educators and education leaders break free from the  constraints of traditional roles, build income beyond the bell schedule, and design careers  on their own terms. 

To learn more, visit www.breakingthebell.com or connect on LinkedIn @drmanuelferrer.